Page 118 of The Rules We Broke
“Ella Lu Eaton,” he said, his voice rich with emotion, “you’ve made me happier these past few weeks than I’ve ever been. The only thing that would make me happier would be for us to be married.”
“We’re getting there, cowboy.”
He picked me up and swung me around. “Can we please hurry that up?”
“Hey, it’s not my fault you can’t seal the deal with my aunt.”
He looked at his watch. “Well, if we leave now, we can still spend the evening with her.”
I loved his optimism, but I had a feeling Aunt Lu had a few more tricks left up her sleeve.
Chapter Twenty-Two
We’drushedhomewithhigh hopes. But Aunt Lu didn’t say Brady’s name, and she didn’t offer him a miracle either.
Still, she was more pleasant than she had been. Another step forward.
Brady left earlier than usual. He seemed drained—by traffic, by his interview, but mostly by the thought of leaving Kaysville.
He said all the right things. Promised it didn’t matter where we lived, as long as it was together. And I believed him. But a small part of me worried.
Worried that leaving Kaysville would eat at him in ways even love couldn’t soothe.
After he left, Aunt Lu and I sat down to work on our puzzle. She clocked my mood instantly.
“You’re thinking too loud again,” she said, examining the edge pieces.
I glanced at her. “Brady seemed off tonight.”
She nodded. “He wasn’t his usual cheerful self.”
“I think he’s struggling with the idea of leaving Kaysville. I know he means what he says. I just don’t want him to wake up years from now and resent me.”
She placed a piece down, then looked up. “Ella Lu, do you love Atlanta?”
I thought for a moment. “I wouldn’t say I love it. I like it. It’s convenient.”
She folded her hands. “Besides that—why do you live there?”
I exhaled. “Honestly? Because it’s close to you.”
That earned methe look.
“You know what’s closer to me? Kaysville.”
I leaned back against the couch and sighed. “Why would I want to live in a town where half the people despise me because of my last name?”
“You forget, young lady,” she said sharply, “you’re about to become a Jackson. And everyone you love lives here.” She paused, then added, “That boy loves this town. Loves his job. And he’s good at it. Since he was made VP, the bank’s had its best years ever.”
“I didn’t know that.”
She sniffed. “Well, you didn’t hear it from me.” Heaven forbid she compliment him.
I sat up and smiled at her.
“Sugar,” she said softly, “people will always talk. That doesn’t mean you have to listen.”
“What about his parents?”
